


We Found Love

by Ukume94



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Feelings, Gifset, Nightmares, Walk down memory lane, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-11
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-07-20 11:36:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16136432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ukume94/pseuds/Ukume94





	We Found Love

Carol sits on the counter watching the timer as it ticks slowly, the smell of the casserole reaching her nose causing her stomach to rumble with hunger.

Everyone in Alexandria had been going a bit crazy since seeing Rick loose his mind, of course she knew she needed to keep to herself so nobody knows she's very much on his side, so here she sits.

Sighing with boredom she glances away from the timer towards the window, seeing Maggie walking down the street with Glenn by her side, she smiles softly. Even during the crazy times they live in; they found each other.

Carol looks away thinking about how she wished she could have found something like Glenn and Maggie, the love they share for each other is so strong and lasting. Everything they do it's always together and for one another.

Ed never told her a damn thing; he would just do something, buy something without her knowledge which always ercked her. Ed was never the good guy, he was always starting fights with random people and after embarrassing himself he would take it out on her. She knew she should have seen the signs when they were dating but she was in a love bubble.

Not too long after that she became pregnant with Sophia.

Shaking her head from the thought of her dead husband and the painful memories of losing her daughter she glances out the window once again, her eyes reach Carl carrying a sleeping Judith.

She thinks about what things would be like if Lori would have survived, little Judith with her momma and maybe Rick would still be the way he was before. Maybe Shane would still be alive.

Maybe.

She begins to think about the old group, back when they were in the quarry.

Shane always keeping everyone safe, his eyes of course more focused on Lori and Carl. Shane did defend her when Ed hit her while she was with the girls and washing clothes, Shane may have been a bit different but he was a gentleman.

Dale, repairing his RV or standing on the roof with his binoculars and his bucket hat.

Andrea and her sister Amy, bickering about what to eat or the sleeping arrangment.

T-Dog, standing back and keeping his opinions to himself until it came to who were to stay up on watch.

Glenn helping out with the plans and the maps of Atlanta.

The Morales family, his wife Miranda helping with cooking along side Carol. Sophia and their kids playing around the quarry.

Jim, always moving his tent around the camp site because every night the crickets would keep him awake.

Jacqui, always making sure to keep a smile on Carol's face even though she herself would cry every night from the horrors around.

Merle, tinkering with his bike and leaving a spitting trail. He always cat called every one of the ladies in the group, still trying his hardest to "catch some tail" as he liked to call it.

Daryl.

Carol blinks thinking about Daryl, he always kept to himself. Never said a word to anyone only grunting like a caveman. He would stay in the tent most of the time, then going off to hunt for food that night.

She thinks about the time Daryl and Merle had an agrument which lead Daryl to sleeping on the other side of camp.

She never really knew Daryl then, in all honesty she was a little afraid of him.

The first words he ever said to her were vulgar and hurtful, of course she did sneak up on him by accident when he was headed to the lake to bathe.

She knew to keep away from him but something about him always made her want to know more. He was a mystery that she wanted to solve.

The timer chiming pulls her out of her thoughts, she quickly jumps off the counter and grabs her oven mits to pull out the casserole.

Grabbing it and placing it on the rubber mat to cool off she smiles to herself happy with her meal for some of the others tonight.

As she pulls off her mits the sound of light tapping causes her to look towards the window where Sam stands outside the door.

She rolls her eyes quickly before throwing the mits onto the counter, making her way towards the door she eyes Sam from the door.

"What do you want Sam?" She asks giving him a serious look as she places her hands on the lock and doorknob.

"Mom and dad are fight again." He says softly looking down to his shoes.

"That's not my problem." She answers quickly.

"I thought maybe you could bake some cookies."

"I'm not in the mood to make any cookies tonight Sam. Find someone else to bug for the night." She says knowing she's being a bit mean to someone so young and hurting the way he is.

What was she supposed to do for him?

She wasn't his babysitter, she couldn't take care of him.

She promised herself that she would never take a child under her wing again, they were never safe.

She told him before that he needed to toughen up and if she needed she would tell him again.

Sam looks away before walking away from the door and down the steps towards the street. Turning to glance back towards her, she pulls down the shades letting him know he needs to keep going.

Sighing she shakes her head as she walks back into the kitchen to grab plates for the others that would be showing up in thirty.

Michonne, Rick, Daryl, Tara, Carl and baby Judith would be coming over for the meal of the night.

Setting the dinner table she lays cups and silverware down, glancing towards the island she places two plates where Daryl and her normally sit for dinner.

As time passes one by one everyone shows up except for Daryl which leaves an unsettling feeling inside her stomach.

The others eat the meal in the dinning room talking amongst each other as she sits in the kitchen looking at her empty plate.

She made sure to put the leftover casserole in the oven on the lowest heat so Daryl could have himself a warm meal.

Glancing towards the clock the knot in her stomach tightens knowing he and Aaron were normally back by this time of night. She stands to make her way towards the kitchen door to head out when Carl walks inside with his and the others dirty dishes.

"Where are you going?" He asks softly as he layed the dishes in the sink.

"I was going to head outside and see if Daryl and Aaron made it back yet." She says as she turns towards him and eyes the young boy.

"They've been coming back a little late lately, I wouldn't worry." Carl notes trying to reassure her worrying heart.

"A bit late for that." She states unlocking the door. Opening it quickly she turns towards Carl.

"Make sure to soak the dishes so I can wash them later." She orders as she heads out of the house and down the street towards the front gate.

Looking up to Rosita she clears her throat to let her know she was there.

Rosita turns and smiles seeing the grey hairs woman eyeing her from her high post.

"No he hasn't come back yet."

"What?" She asks in surprise, she didn't even have to ask.

"You were going to ask if Daryl was back from his adventures with Aaron, so I decided to give you the 411 before you had the chance to ask." She answers with another smile.

Carol nods softly and crosses her arms against her chest.

"Okay thanks." She whispers as she starts to walk away.

"Do you want me to leave him a message?" Rosita asks.

Carol turns around and smirks.

"Just let him know dinner is ready." She sputtered as she heads back to the house to wait nervously for Daryl's return.

Once she made it back to the house she closes the door behind her and notices the dishes soaking.

Not hearing the others she makes her way towards the living room where Tara is sitting with a book in her lap.

"Where did everyone go?" Carol asks.

"Well everyone else has an early day tomorrow so they all headed off to bed, I on the other hand decided to read a bit before I head up to bed." She answers quickly as she lifts the book for emphasis.

"Okay." Carol sighs as she runs her fingers through her hair feeling the stress headache form.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Tara asks leaning over the couch.

"Not yet, I was waiting for Daryl to come home." She answers glancing towards the kitchen.

"You should probably eat. Keep your mind from worrying about him." She offers.

"I'm not sure I could eat even if I wanted to." She answers heading towards the kitchen.

Carol sits in the kitchen for another thirty minutes, Tara having said goodnight letting Carol know she was going to be the only person awake in the house.

Her stomach grumbles angrily as she watches the clocks hands tick by. Finally giving up she takes her oven mits in hand and pulls the casserole out and serves herself a plateful of food.

Carol sits at the island eating her food in silence, trying to keep her mind from worrying about him she starts to think about what to cook for tomorrow.

Finishing her meal she places it into the cold water to soak for a little while.

She glances towards the casserole and wonders if she should put it away or put it into the oven to keep warm.

Deciding to leave the food in the oven she heads towards the living room and sits with her body facing the kitchen.

She knows she wouldn't be able to sleep knowing Daryl isn't back home safe, she would have to sit in the living room and wait for him to arrive.

He would have to come home soon, she grabs the book Tara had left at the coffee table and starts reading.

She finds herself reading the same line over and over again not paying attention to whats been happening, trying to focus she sits up on the couch and try reading it again.

With little bit of interest in the book she dozes off, her head laying against the couch.

 

_She stands with Daryl in the middle of the night, her eyes focused on the small pond in the middle of Alexandria. He turns towards her and places his hand onto her arm._

_"Why don't you head back to the house."_

_"Why? I'm fine." She says trying stay warm from the chill of the night._

_"You're cold and I know when you're tired. Just, Carol just head back to the house." Daryl suggests._

_A loud crack from the wall causes her to forget what she was about to say as the moans from the walkers fill the inside of Alexandria._

_Daryl grabs her hand as they run away from the hurd of walkers filling the streets._

_They run quickly towards the house, Daryl tries to open the door only finding it locked._

_She turns seeing a walker that looks like Ed walking up the steps towards them._

_Daryl quickly grabs his buck knife from his sheath and pushes Carol out of the way to save her. The walker lunges towards him pushing Daryl to the wall._

_Carol tries to grab for her knife but finds it missing, she begins to cry as the walker takes a large bite of Daryl's neck. Blood pours from the wound, the knife from his hand falls to the ground._

_Carol quickly picks it up and stabs the walker watching it fall to the ground. Daryl drops to the ground gasping for air, she leans over him putting pressure on the wound._

_"Please Daryl, stay with me." She begs as she cries._

_Daryl grabs her arm with his blood stained hand, gasping he looks into her eyes._

_"Please, don't leave me. You're all I have." She cries._

_Daryl gurgles placing his other hand onto her cheek._

_His eyes remaining on her as he takes his last breath._

_"Daryl!" She screams as the walkers walk towards her on the porch._

 

Carol awakes quickly with a warm feeling against her arm where Daryl's hand had been in her dream and her throat feeling scratchy, she blinks trying to pull herself out of the nightmare as she focuses on where she is. Realizing the warmth on her arm is still there she glances noticing a hand, following the hand up she realize it's Daryl; covered in dirt from head to toe.

"I'm here, yer' okay." Daryl reassures as he tries to make sure she's okay.

"You're alive." She exclaims pushing up from the couch and wrapping her arms around his torso.

Daryl catches her in his arms feeling her body shake against his.

"Of course I'm alive." He says. "Why are ya shaking?" He asks trying to help. When she doesn't answer he decides to comfort her. "Hey it's okay. I've got ya." He promises as he wraps his arms tighter around her.

"Shh, I've got ya. Yer' okay, I've got ya." He continues feeling her snuggle herself closer to him.

The nightmare felt so real, the thought of losing Daryl and having to watch him die plays loops in her mind.

"Want to talk about it?" He asks rubbing her back gently.

"I." She stops and shakes her head. "I thought I lost you." She whispers resting her head upon his shoulder.

"That ain't gonna happen, I promise." He assures her pulling back to see her face filled with fear.

"You were gone, what took so long?" She asks needing to find out why he took so long to get back to Alexandria.

"Aaron and I got into a little trouble out there, there was a large group of walkers. They had Aaron and I head towards a small creek, reason I'm covered in dry mud."

Carol eyes his clothes quickly and back to his dirty face.

"Is Aaron okay?"

"He's fine, just a bit shaken up." He answers looking down realizing her hand is within his.

"I didn't mean to scare ya Carol, I really didn't and I'm sorry that I did." He begins.

She shakes her head as a small smile grows onto her face.

"I know you didn't, you don't need to apologize either. You're back and that's all that matters." She answers placing her other hand upon his cheek.

She imagines him running for his life as he tries to escape for his life, making his way into a creek which was the only way they could find safety.

Moving her thumb gently against the dried mud on his cheek she tries to clean it as gently as possible.

"Either you find your way into the shower or I'll have to hose you down so you can get clean." She jokes feeling her heart flutter when a smile appears on his face.

"Headed there now." He smiles pulling away and heading towards the small bathroom in the hallway.

Carol moves away from the couch and towards the washer and dryer where she had put a few clean clothes of his.

Grabbing the clothes she quickly heads to the bathroom hearing the shower running behind the door, she knocks softly on the door making sure not to startle him.

"Yeah?" He grunts.

"I have clean clothes for you. Do you want me to leave them outside the door?"

"Nah, ya can leave them on the sink." He answers.

Carol takes a breath before turning the doorknob and walks into the bathroom. Steam filling her sight making it slightly hard for her to see inside the tiny room.

Placing the clothes on the sink she starts heading out of the room and stops turning to stare towards the white shower curtain.

"I bet you're hungry." She begins waiting for his response.

Daryl peeks out from behind the curtain his wet hair looking even longer then when it's dry.

"Yes ma'am."

"Good, once you're done come to the kitchen. I'll have your meal waiting." She grins before heading out of the room and closing the door so he could finish up.

Carol heads back towards the kitchen where she grabs the oven mits and pulls the warm casserole dish and serves the last large serving for him.

Finally happy with him being back home she turns off the oven and places the plate on the island counter, fork laying within the food.

Heading to the fridge she pulls out a cold beer and places it by the food with a smile. She knew the beer was very scarce around this time so of course she would take one from her hidden stash.

The sound of Daryl grunting turns her attention towards the living room where he walks in with a towel hanging over his shoulder. Droplets of water dripping from the ends of his hair.

"Feel better?" She asks as he eyes her standing by the island.

"A little, once I eat I'll probably feel a hell of a lot better." He answers pulling a stool chair and taking a seat. "Where did ya get the beer?" He asks raising ab eyebrow as he grabs the bottle and twists it open.

"I've got my secrets Dixon." She smiles watching him take a swig.

"Some damn good beer right there." He smiles before grabbing the fork and beginning to eat his meal in silence.

She watches him as he eats, his eyes focused on his meal. Carol smiles tenderly towards him, her nightmare felt so real. When she lost him she knew she had lost her best friend.

Daryl glances up from his food noticing her watching him.

"What?" He asks his mouth filled with food and blushing slightly.

"Sorry, I don't mean to stare." She begins; looking away she closes her eyes and sees her nightmare flash quickly through her brain. "I'm just happy to have you back." She explains turning towards him again and grinning.

He swallows quickly and reaches for his beer, taking a large drink he holds the beer bottle in his hand.

"What was the nightmare about?" He asks softly knowing she may not answer his question.

She looks away from him towards the large pile of dishes in the sink. Softly sighing to herself she knows she would have to talk about it with him but tonight it was too fresh that she knew she wouldn't be able to give him the answer.

"Look at all the dishes I need to get finished." She changes the subject as she walks over towards the sink, quickly unplugging the sink she waits for it to drain to fill with hot water.

Daryl bites his bottom lip realizing she didn't want to talk about her dream, he nods softly before leaning over to finish his meal so he could place the plate in the sink along with the others.

Carol fills the sink with hot water and soap, watching the bubbly water rise.

Daryl finishes his meal and walks towards the sink where he places the plate in the water.

"How was your day today?" Daryl begins wanting to get Carol to talk since she hasn't really said very much since he woke her.

Looking away from the sink she sighs softly and shrugs her shoulders.

"Not as bad as yours. I made breakfast for everyone, took care of Judith until lunch time where I made lunch for everyone. I cleaned Judith's play area and gathered ingrediants for dinner, washed the laundry and decided to make dinner."

Daryl raises his eyebrows and eyes the large pile of dishes that were left from all three meals.

"So you cook all day, babysit little ass kicker, wash everyone's laundry and everyone leaves you to do all the dishes too?" He asks glances towards the sink.

Carol shrugs once again as she reaches towards the sink to turn off the water.

"Nothing I can't handle." She smiles softly as she turns the sink faucet to the second sink to fill it with clean rinsing water.

"Well I ain't gonna do that to ya, I'll help wash dishes with ya." He offers with a grin.

"Daryl you really don't have to do that, you worked harder than I did. It's really no big deal."

"Woman will ya just let me help ya."

Carol smiles knowing he wouldn't take no for an answer. She nods quickly and moves over so he could stand over the clean water.

"Okay, I'll have you rinse the dishes and have you place them in the dish strainer so they can dry." She says with a smile.

"I can do that." He answers turning off the water once it fills enough.

Carol rolls up her sleeves before grabbing a dish sponge. Wetting it quickly she begins washing the dishes, Daryl grabs his beer and drinks it as he waits for her to hand him a dish.

They stand in silence just enjoying one anothers company while Carol washes dishes and hands him clean dishes to rinse. They work up a good rythem with the task at hand.

Daryl smiles to himself while he places a plate on the rack.

"What are you smiling about?" Carol asks noticing his smile which causes one to grow upon her face.

Daryl glances down the the water as she drops him another plate. Grabbing it he rinses it and turns to look to Carol.

"When I was a little boy my mom and I used to wash the dishes together, I used to rinse and dry with an older lookin' rag. It wasn't much of a memory but it's somethin'." He grins as he places the plate onto the rack.

Carol smiles about the story. She knowing he lost his mom when he was so young, she couldn't imagine not having her mother when she was a young child. She wouldn't have learned the things she knows now.

"Merle called me gay cause I would do the dishes, but those damn dishes weren't gonna do themselves. My dad and Merle used up half the dishes in the damn house. Damn slobs, the both of them." He shakes his head.

Carol chuckles to herself remembering going through the same thing.

"Ed was the same way, we had a dishwasher for a couple years until it broke. Ed told me he was going to fix it instead of having to buy a new one."

Daryl shakes his head knowing where the story was going to lead.

"Months went by and he never got to fixing it. I asked him one time and he hit me and complained that he was always busy working to keep the food on the table and never had time to fix it." She places another plate into the rinsing side. "I knew better then to believe him so I just decided to wash dishes the old fashioned way. It also gave me time to myself." She smirks thinking about getting away from Ed by washing dishes and washing clothes.

"It would have been fine but he ate so much and used so many plates it became a duty not my freedom." She adds washing the last plate and starting on the silverware.

"I'm sorry ya had to go through that." Daryl begins glancing towards Carol his eyes filled with empathy.

"Me too. I learned that what I've gone through was a growing process and formed me into the person I am today. I'm stronger than I thought I was and I'm still here."

"Yer' still here kickin' ass."

"Don't sell yourself short, you're just as badass." She smirks towards him.

"Not like ya, you saved us all by yerself while we were trapped with those cannibal fuckers."

"That was pure luck and adrenaline." She tries to explain.

"That was some Rambo shit ya did that day, remind me not to get on ya bad side." He nudges her with his elbow.

"Stop." She chuckles as a blush forms upon her face. He chuckles along side her, his heart beating slightly quicker just hearing her laugh.

He decides to nudge her again just to see what she'd do.

She smirks as she nudges him back with her shoulder.

Daryl then decides to use another tactic and splashes her with some of the rinsing water.

Carol opens her mouth in shock feeling the right side of her clothes are slightly wet.

Raising her eyebrow she splashes him with her soap water, his left side of his pants and shoes wet.

Daryl then uses his hand to splash more water, quickly it becomes a water fight.

Carol uses the pull down faucet sprayer turning on the cold water and presses the button watching as the water hits Daryl in the face.

They fight for the sprayer, both turning it on each other. The water begins to puddle on the floor, the sound of their shoes squeaking against the floor.

Daryl moves his leg slightly causing him to lose his balance, he grabs a hold of her arm having her fall along with him. They lay on the floor laughing together helping one another sit up against the bottom sink cupboards.

Carol turns seeing Daryl's hair soaked against his face looking as if it were colored on.

"A wet dog." Carol laughs commenting on his hair while trying to dry her face with her sleeve but having no success.

He pulls the sprayer and sprays her with more water.

Trying to hide from the water she uses her arms as a shield.

"Who's the wet dog now?" He asks with a laugh.

"Still you, Dixon." She laughs.

Daryl continues to spray her with the sprayer this time he sprays her from the waist down.

Carol laughs trying to fight for the sprayer once again but failing while he pulls it out of her reach.

After minutes of being sprayed he finally throws it back up upon the sink and turns to look to Carol.

She has a large smiles on her face as she uses the back of her hand to hit his arm.

Carol might have thought she wanted a relationship like Glenn and Maggie but what Daryl and her share is way more then she thought.

Daryl and Carol had found love in a hopeless place but damn did she know she wouldn't change it for anything else.

 


End file.
